Blood From The Knees

Bring it here, says Belle. It may just be frightened.

Terence! shouts Baldy. Bring the beetle.

It's spitting up blood, says Terence.

Crikey! says Belle. Gaius! Terence has a sick beetle.

Let me see it, says Gaius, folding his notes on the Far Eastern Curlew.

I've got blood on me, says Terence.

Yuck! says Baldy. It's orange!

Gaius peers at the beetle. It is hard, black and shiny. Also, it's coughing up blood.

Jeanne Jugan comes back with her sun hat.

What have we here? asks Jeanne Jugan. Goodness! Terence has found a Scarabée Crache-Sang! Put it down, Terence. It's nasty.

Terence puts down the beetle. It has big feet. It starts to lumber away.

Not so fast, beetle, says Gaius. Hat, Jeanne!

He grabs Jeanne's sun hat and drops it over the beetle. He scoops up the hat and the beetle.

Really! says Jeanne. How can I wear that hat now?

Gaius, that was thoughtless, says Belle.

What about me? says Terence.

You are always thoughtless, says Belle.

He he, laughs Baldy.

There's BLOOD! cries Terence. On ME!

Gaius is examining the knees of the Scarabée as it lies on its back in Jeanne's hat.

I've heard they bleed from the knees as well as the mouth, says Gaius. I don't see any evidence of it.

It's not real blood, says Jeanne Jugan. It's a foul-tasting red substance. Designed to put off predators.

Belle, says Gaius. Can I ask you a favour?

Sure, says Belle.

Would you cycle back to Cancale and pick up a specimen jar? says Gaius.

Okay, says Belle. Terence, you're coming with me. And Jeanne, we owe you a hat. I'll find one.

.......

Belle cycles back to Cancale, with Terence in her front basket.

She is singing a song without words.

Rad da-da-dah. Rad da-da-dah......

Terence is snivelling.

Snuu-rk!

Cheer up, Terence, says Belle. We're going to see Sweezie. You can tell him all about your adventures.

How I got bleeding, says Terence.

You're not bleeding, says Belle. That was a Crache-Sang, a common blood spewing beetle.

You said spewing! says Terence.

It's just a NAME, says Belle. Look. Here we are, already.

She dismounts, lifts Terence out of her basket and enters the Hotel Nuit et Jour.

Where are we? asks Terence.

Our hotel, says Belle. You didn't sleep here because you slept in the church with the monks and Saint Roley. Arthur's here, probably still sleeping.

They go up to the room, and enter.

Arthur is sleeping on the floor. Or is he? There's blood on his knees. Perhaps he's unconscious.

Arthur! Arthur! says Belle, shaking Arthur.

Wha... ? says Arthur.

You're a blood spewing beetle! says Terence.

Arthur had been dreaming a horrible dream and is quite prepared to believe it.

He shudders and looks at his knees.

What happened? says Belle.

Fell off the mezzanine, says Arthur.

(This explains why someone on Trip Advisor claimed it was dangerous for children. The pool outside also has live and dead bugs in, they added. Apart from these things, Nuit et Jour is un hotel agréable.)